scholarly journals Differential modulation of the androgen receptor for prostate cancer therapy depends on the DNA response element

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (9) ◽  
pp. 4741-4755
Author(s):  
Steven Kregel ◽  
Pia Bagamasbad ◽  
Shihan He ◽  
Elizabeth LaPensee ◽  
Yemi Raji ◽  
...  

Abstract Androgen receptor (AR) action is a hallmark of prostate cancer (PCa) with androgen deprivation being standard therapy. Yet, resistance arises and aberrant AR signaling promotes disease. We sought compounds that inhibited genes driving cancer but not normal growth and hypothesized that genes with consensus androgen response elements (cAREs) drive proliferation but genes with selective elements (sAREs) promote differentiation. In a high-throughput promoter-dependent drug screen, doxorubicin (dox) exhibited this ability, acting on DNA rather than AR. This dox effect was observed at low doses for multiple AR target genes in multiple PCa cell lines and also occurred in vivo. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that low dox downregulated cell cycle genes while high dox upregulated DNA damage response genes. In chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays with low dox, AR binding to sARE-containing enhancers increased, whereas AR was lost from cAREs. Further, ChIP-seq analysis revealed a subset of genes for which AR binding in low dox increased at pre-existing sites that included sites for prostate-specific factors such as FOXA1. AR dependence on cofactors at sAREs may be the basis for differential modulation by dox that preserves expression of genes for survival but not cancer progression. Repurposing of dox may provide unique opportunities for PCa treatment.

Endocrinology ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 148 (9) ◽  
pp. 4334-4343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Jagla ◽  
Marie Fève ◽  
Pascal Kessler ◽  
Gaëlle Lapouge ◽  
Eva Erdmann ◽  
...  

The androgen receptor (AR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that displays genomic actions characterized by binding to androgen-response elements in the promoter of target genes as well as nongenomic actions that do not require nuclear translocation and DNA binding. In this study, we report exclusive cytoplasmic actions of a splicing variant of the AR detected in a metastatic prostate cancer. This AR variant, named AR23, results from an aberrant splicing of intron 2, wherein the last 69 nucleotides of the intronic sequence are retained, leading to the insertion of 23 amino acids between the two zinc fingers in the DNA-binding domain. We show that the nuclear entry of AR23 upon dihydrotestosterone (DHT) stimulation is impaired. Alternatively, DHT-activated AR23 forms cytoplasmic and perinuclear aggregates that partially colocalize with the endoplasmic reticulum and are devoid of genomic actions. However, in LNCaP cells, this cytoplasmic DHT-activated AR23 remains partially active as evidenced by the activation of transcription from androgen-responsive promoters, the stimulation of NF-κB transcriptional activity and by the decrease of AP-1 transcriptional activity. Our data reveal novel cytoplasmic actions for this splicing AR variant, suggesting a contribution in prostate cancer progression.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas C Case ◽  
Alyssa Merkel ◽  
Marisol Ramirez-Solano ◽  
Qi Liu ◽  
Julie A Sterling ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Clinical management of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) resulting from androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) remains challenging. Previously, we have reported that long-term ADT increases the neuroendocrine (NE) hormone – Gastrin Releasing Peptide (GRP) and its receptor (GRP-R) expression in prostate cancer (PC) cells. Further, we demonstrated that activation of GRP/GRP-R signaling increases androgen receptor (AR) splice variants (ARVs) expression through activating NF-κB signaling thereby contributing cancer progression to CRPC. Most importantly, as a cell surface protein, GRP-R is easily targeted by drugs to block GRP/GRP-R signaling. Here, we aim to investigate if blocking GRP/GRP-R signaling by targeting GRP-R using GRP-R antagonist is sufficient to control CRPC progression, including in therapy-induced (t) neuroendocrine prostate cancer (tNEPC). Methods: Bone-growing NEPC cells were generated by treating androgen dependent LNCaP PC cells with anti-androgen (MDV3100) for more than 3 months. RC-3095, a selective GRP-R antagonist, was used for blocking GRP/GRP-R signaling. The NGL vector [a NF-kB responsive reporter vector which has Luciferase and Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) reporter genes] was used to measure NF-kB activity and the ARR2PB-Luc vector (an AR responsive reporter vector) was used to measure AR activity in the PC cells. For in vivo experiments, the effect of RC-3095 on CRPC was observed in subcutaneous CRPC and bone-growing tNEPC tumor models.Results: Our studies show that blocking GRP/GRP-R signal by targeting GRP-R using RC-3095 efficiently inhibits NF-κB activity and ARVs (AR-V7) expression in CRPC and tNEPC cells. In addition, blocking of GRP/GRP-R signaling by targeting GRP-R can sensitize CRPC cells to anti-androgen treatment. Further, preclinical animal studies indicate combination of GRP-R antagonist (targeting ARVs) with anti-androgen [targeting full-length AR (AR-FL)] is sufficient to inhibit CRPC and tNEPC tumor growth.Conclusion: Our findings strongly indicate that blocking of GRP/GRP-R signaling in combination with ADT is a potential new approach to control CRPC tumor growth, including ADT induced tNEPC.


2006 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 1124-1127 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.M. Powell ◽  
G.N. Brooke ◽  
H.C. Whitaker ◽  
V. Reebye ◽  
S.C. Gamble ◽  
...  

Anti-androgens used in prostate cancer therapy inhibit AR (androgen receptor) activity via largely unknown mechanisms. Although initially successful in most cases, they eventually fail and the disease progresses. We need to elucidate how anti-androgens work to understand why they fail, and prolong their effects or design further therapies. Using a cellular model, we found different anti-androgens have diverse effects on subcellular localization of AR, revealing that they work via different mechanisms and suggesting that an informed sequential treatment regime may benefit patients. In the presence of the anti-androgens bicalutamide and hydroxyflutamide, a significant proportion of the AR is translocated to the nucleus but remains inactive. Receptor inhibition under these conditions is likely to involve recruitment of co-repressor proteins, which interact with antagonist-occupied receptor but inhibit receptor-dependent transcription. Which co-repressors are required in vivo for AR repression by anti-androgens is not clear, but one candidate is the Notch effector Hey1. This inhibits ligand-dependent activity of the AR but not other steroid receptors. Further, it is excluded from the nucleus in most human prostate cancers, suggesting that abnormal subcellular distribution of co-repressors may contribute to the aberrant hormonal responses observed in prostate cancer. A decrease in co-repressor function is one possible explanation for the development of anti-androgen-resistant prostate cancer, and this suggests that it may not occur at the gross level of protein expression.


Oncogene ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chengfei Liu ◽  
Cameron M. Armstrong ◽  
Shu Ning ◽  
Joy C. Yang ◽  
Wei Lou ◽  
...  

AbstractTargeting androgen signaling with the second-generation anti-androgen drugs, such as enzalutamide (Enza), abiraterone (Abi), apalutamide (Apal), and darolutamide (Daro), is the mainstay for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). While these treatments are effective initially, resistance occurs frequently. Continued expression of androgen receptor (AR) and its variants such as AR-V7 despite AR-targeted therapy contributes to treatment resistance and cancer progression in advanced CRPC patients. This highlights the need for new strategies blocking continued AR signaling. Here, we identify a novel AR/AR-V7 degrader (ARVib) and found that ARVib effectively degrades AR/AR-V7 protein and attenuates AR/AR-V7 downstream target gene expression in prostate cancer cells. Mechanistically, ARVib degrades AR/AR-V7 protein through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway mediated by HSP70/STUB1 machinery modulation. ARVib suppresses HSP70 expression and promotes STUB1 nuclear translocation, where STUB1 binds to AR/AR-V7 and promotes its ubiquitination and degradation. ARVib significantly inhibits resistant prostate tumor growth and improves enzalutamide treatment in vitro and in vivo. These data suggest that ARVib has potential for development as an AR/AR-V7 degrader to treat resistant CRPC.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 2944
Author(s):  
Zoran Culig

Non-steroidal anti-androgens have a major role in the treatment of non-localized prostate cancer. Interleukins are involved in the regulation of many cellular functions in prostate cancer and also modify cellular response to anti-androgens. A specific role of selected IL is presented in this review. IL-8 is a cytokine expressed in prostate cancer tissue and microenvironment and promotes proliferation and androgen receptor-mediated transcription. In contrast, IL-1 displays negative effects on expression of androgen receptor and its target genes. A subgroup of prostate cancers show neuroendocrine differentiation, which may be in part stimulated by androgen ablation. A similar effect was observed after treatment of cells with IL-10. Another cytokine which is implicated in regulation of androgenic response is IL-23, secreted by myeloid cells. Most studies on androgens and IL were carried out with IL-6, which acts through the signal transducer and activator of the transcription (STAT) factor pathway. IL-6 is implicated in resistance to enzalutamide. Activation of the STAT-3 pathway is associated with increased cellular stemness. IL-6 activation of the androgen receptor in some prostate cancers is associated with increased growth in vitro and in vivo. Molecules such as galiellalactone or niclosamide have an inhibitory effect on both androgen receptor and STAT-3 pathways.


2004 ◽  
Vol 171 (4S) ◽  
pp. 162-162
Author(s):  
Paul Thelen ◽  
Michal Grzmil ◽  
Iris E. Eder ◽  
Barbara Spengler ◽  
Peter Burfeind ◽  
...  

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